1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an image reading device, such as a scanner, and a print device, such as a printer, and a function of reading a digital image stored in a storage medium. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can combine a digital image and a handwriting image of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, as discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-80789, a technique for combining a digital image stored in a storage medium and a handwriting image read by a scanner and printing the combined image has been known as one of functions of an image forming apparatus.
Further, as discussed in US Patent Application No. 2006/0170968, a function of performing a decoration such as white rimming or color-added rimming and filling on handwriting images and combining the handwriting images with the digital images, not combining the handwriting images as they are, has been known.
As a method that makes these decorations further splendid, increasing types of painting patterns applied to an area such as riming, filling, and shading may be come up with. In this case, a variety of splendid combination results can be expected by decorating with a plain color such as red and blue in addition to white or black, or a colored pattern such as checks or polka dot patters.
However, when the painting pattern is diversified, some problems occur. For example, in the case of the rimming, since the good-looking thickness is different depending on the painting pattern, rimming of the same thickness, regardless of the painting pattern, is not preferable.
FIG. 1 illustrates the case in which rimming is performed with the same thickness regardless of a painting pattern.
Like uniform thin rimming 120 illustrated in FIG. 1, if rimming is performed, it is appropriate as rimming for rimming 121 made by a plain color. However, in rimming made by a pattern like rimming 122 and 123, since a rimming area is small, a pattern is indistinct and thus unappealing.
In contrast, if uniform thick rimming is performed, like the rimming 132 and 133 (i.e., examples of the uniform thick rimming 130), the method is appropriate because the pattern looks clear. However, like the rimming 131, it looks thick for rimming made by a plain color.
As a method to resolve the above problem, in general, detailed setting items need to be prepared, for example, the setting that can designate the thickness of the rimming in detail.
However, when a user designates a decoration on a handwriting sheet, it is not possible to confirm a decoration application result. For this reason, the user cannot know the proper setting value and thus cannot determine the decoration. In particular, when the user cannot receive a feedback related to appearance until a final print product is output, ink or paper may be wasted.
In addition, for a user who is satisfied if the user can designate a rough decoration and the resulting decoration looks fine, setting of detailed setting items is troublesome.